


Labyrinth

by tajma



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Add tags as I go, Alpha Tom Riddle, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Smut, F/M, Knotting, Lemon, Magical Realism, Omega Hermione Granger, Omega Verse, Travel, Unbeta'd, there is magic but its different than hp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-10-14 05:02:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17502089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tajma/pseuds/tajma
Summary: Once in the elevator, Tom has her up against a wall, hands grabbing whatever they can while he kisses her senseless. The doors open to her floor. Hermione leads them to her room and as soon as they are inside, Tom has her dress pooled at her feet. He doesn’t immediately go back to kissing her but instead takes a step back and gives her a lecherous look up and down. Emboldened by liquid courage and his obvious desire, she gives him a mini striptease while taking off her bra and panties. She ends her little dance with a hand on her nipple and the other slowing making it down to the apex of her thighs.He growls in his throat before picking her up and chunking her on the bed.He is completely clothed. She is completely nude. Something about the dynamic makes her wetter.Rewrite of wine, sleepy eyes,& turbulence





	1. Looks

Chapter 1: Looks

Let us toast to animal pleasures, to escapism, to rain on the roof and instant coffee, to unemployment insurance and library cards, to absinthe and good-hearted landlords, to music and warm bodies and contraceptives… and to the “good life”, whatever it is and wherever it happens to be. 

Hunter S. Thompson  

 

“No, no.” Laughter bubbles out of her at the ridiculous scenarios cast by her mom, “ I will be fine, I am in a touristy area and it's incredibly fancy here!”

With worry laced in every word her mom butts in,” Hermione, it's just you know that sometimes those type of people target tourist on purpose. I mean, and you are a single girl. I just … It's dangerous to go out anywhere by yourself!”

She scoffs and turns her attention back to the hotel mirror to finish putting the finishing touches on her makeup. She has chosen to do a 'natural' look with neutral eyeshadow and winged eyeliner with ruby red lips to top it all off. Not even acknowledging anything her mom has just said; “ Mom, I have to go. I love you bucket loads. I will text you everything. She ends the video call while her mom is still trying to put her two cents in.

With her attention back on the hotel mirror, she catalogs herself. She has chosen a form-fitting yellow bodycon dress. The dress hangs off her shoulders and comes down to about her mid thigh. She has taken a shimmer-bar to her shoulders and her arms. The finished product has an effervescent goddess look.

Despite how she reacted to her mother’s worry, she has taken precautions. She isn’t wearing any jewelry that is real, just her favorite flower set from some teenage fashion store. She turned on tracking in a couple of different apps so that any of her friends or family could find her. She also made a list of the places she planned on visiting tonight and shared it with best friend, Luna.

Actually, this whole trip was Luna's idea. After finishing her veterinary medical degree and a bad break up she needed a break. Staying in town only reminded her of all the good times she shared with Viktor. Being home with her parents reminded her of a future she could never share with Viktor. So she took Luna's advice and headed East to Russia for two weeks before her residency started. That a way she could clear her mind of Viktor and be ready to focus on her residency.

Viktor.

He was truly her first love. She was always too focused on her classes and getting into vet school to think about men. She just felt that learning as much as possible was more important than getting drunk or falling into bed with a stranger. That was until Viktor. He was so kind. He made her feel like the most important woman in the world. They had the sort of chemistry where you can stay in and not do much but still feel fulfilled. But their domestic bliss started to crumble in the fall before their graduation. All talks of the future would end in a fight. He was drafted into Manchester United and wanted to play professionally. He felt that she should marry him and become a footballer’s wife. To live the life of glamour and fame, but that just wasn't her. Isn't her. She wanted to continue working towards becoming a veterinarian and complete her residency. Not become a wife and mother. Not to say that she didn’t see that in her future, just not immediately. Hermione wanted to become a veterinarian to help those who can't help themselves. The animals in our lives deserve to be treated with the same medical dignity as humans. She wants to prevent unnecessary animal deaths. And when impossible to avoid death, she wanted to make their passing comfortable. When she first meets Viktor, he thought it was an adorable life goal but when it came time for them to plan for the future he belittled her dreams.

Hermione shakes herself out of her thoughts and takes a deep breath. She isn't here to mope about that relationship. She is here to have a good time, relax, and forget.

 

******

Her uber/lift/whatever didn’t really speak much English and that was completely fine. The passing view of Moscow is satisfactory enough. It is beautiful this time of the year since there isn’t any snow to cover the beautiful majestic buildings. As the buildings pass by her mind wanders.

She arrived early in the morning. Painfully early but for the cost of a last-second ticket; it was well worth it. When she landed the only thing on her mind was a nap and food. But first, she needed to get to her hotel.

She was traveling light, with a grey and rainbow striped backpack and a small plain grey suitcase. This made it easy for her to choose public transportation to get to her hotel instead of hiring a cab. Being one to make meticulous list and plans, she already had the route from the airport to her hotel mapped out. She had a short walk to the  
Grazhdanskaya stop. While she was waiting for the train to arrive she befriended an older French Canadian lady, Apolline.

They boarded the train together and sat next to each other. Hermione found it comforting to talk with a kindred soul. Apolline was coming to visit her daughter who is just a little older than Hermione. She showed a photo of her, “That’s her? Fleur right? Wow, your daughter is gorgeous!” Apolline laughed and put her phone away. “ Here let me show you, my son”. Hermione pulled out her phone and show a photo of a fat, slightly angry looking orange cat. The lady gave her an exasperated laugh at the photo of Hermione’s ‘son’. The rest of the ride was about animals and the mischief they cause. Hermione’s stop was before Apolline before she headed off the train she gave her farewells. Her hotel was another short 8-10 minute walk from the train stop. Dazed with both sleepiness and amazement at Moscow, Hermione wasn’t fully paying attention to where she was going.

Sorry was tumbling out of her lips before she even sees the person she bumped into. Hermione looks down from the majestic towering buildings to a little babushka. The little salt and pepper haired woman looked to be wearing traditional handmade clothes. This babushka is an odd throwaway to a much older Russia than the one that surrounds them. Remembering the little bit of Russian that she studied before coming, Hermione slowly tries to overenunciates “ OY pras-TEE-tye”.

The little babushka makes an odd face before giving her a look over, “ you should be more careful.” Her words are heavily accented but completely understandable.

“Oh, uh I am sorry.”

“No need to give me apologies.” The babushka waves her hand as if swatting away an annoying fly. “ It is him you need to be more careful of”. At the look of pure confusion on Hermione’s face, she continues.” Come, I will read your palm and tell you more.”

It is then that the realization of falling into a potential tourist trap dawns on Hermione. “ Oh, no no.” Her curls bouncing as she nods her dissent. “ I need to get to my hotel and check in.” Thinking of a quick white lie she tacts on, “ They are really strict about the check-in times. I don’t want to lose my reservation so I need to go now. “ She side-steps the lady before giving an imitation Duchenne smile and power-walked away.

Later, after she has checked into the hotel and is lounging on the bed, she recounts the story to Luna. Who immediately rebukes her for not following through and finding out what the little babushka had to say. Hermione scoffs and changes the conversation to Luna’s latest poems. There is something oddly relaxing about Luna reciting her works.

***

 

She is brought out of her thoughts when they arrive at the first club on her list, Nagini. The club is squished in between two older buildings. The entrance looks like a snake coming out of the ground with the mouth wide open and ready to strike. The outside of the building is covered in scale-shaped green mirror glass. From what she read online, a small part of the club is on the ground level with the rest underground. The fangs drop down low to frame the entrance, shining as white deadly beacons in the night. There are two bodyguards standing on either side of the entrance with a long line between Hermione and the bodyguards.

Since it was the middle summer and that happy medium between the heat of the day and cold of the night she had no issue with waiting outside. The line curved around the building just a little, she expected this since it was on one of those top 10 types of places.

Finally, she gets to the front. Already prepared with her passport out, she promptly hands it to the bodyguard. He takes it but his eyes don’t leave her face. She frowns a bit as the bouncer continues to stare her down. He takes a deep breath, then glances at her passport before handing it back to her. He knocks his head back as a silent pass. She still hasn’t stopped frowning as she walks in. I thought I put on deodorant, she thinks to herself as she tries to smell her armpits without being obvious. Her thoughts conclude that she smells fine and that Russians are weird.

The entrance of the club is a wide snake’s mouth that is poised to strike. Stepping into the mouth of the snake leads to a dark hall.

She emerges from the small dark tunnel to bright lights and drunk bodies. This whole experience was outside of her range of normal but she is excited for the change of pace. To the left is a small dance floor with a bar in the front, directly in front of her are stairs that lead to the main dance floor with a huge bar and the DJ.

To dive in or just dip the pinky toe?

Hermione chooses to dive.

Her hips sway to the beat as she makes her way downstairs. The humongous dance floor is flanked by a bar in the back and the DJ in the front. Letting the energy of the crowd flow around her she glides to the bottom of the stairs. She stops at the bar and gets a vodka soda. Because what else should you drink while in Russia.

She takes a big sip and the burn flows down to toes and warms her. A smile plays on her lips when a song she recognizes comes across the speakers. Letting the energy of the crowd move her she ends up in the middle of the dance floor. The hand that isn’t holding her drink she uses to sensuously smooth down her dress.

If Luna could see her…. no if Viktor could see her.

The Hermione that is on the dance floor isn’t the same woman that has spent multiple straight weekends in the library. This woman is an uninhibited goddess.

She feels hands grab her hips. She decides to keep dancing for a bit and enjoy the feel of this stranger.

Keeping the beat of the song in her hips, she turns around to see who has grabbed her. Her smile deepens as she checks him out.

Smugly taking in the obvious appreciation in her eyes he says “Ты прекрасно выглядишь в этом платье”

She owlishly blinks at him before shaking her head with a bit of a frown. There is only so much of a language she could learn in a few weeks. Even with a mind like hers, one that consumes knowledge like a parched cat. Language is something that requires time. Learning a new language also requires a language partner. In her small private university finding a willing Russian speaker that wasn’t bogged down by classes was asking a bit too much.

“ English then,” he says with a small smile. She nods her understanding. They continue to dance to the music, his hands on her waist; her hands on his shoulders. Their dancing would look like a proper waltz if it weren’t for his leg was between her leg close to her core and the sway of her hips.” You look beautiful. What is your name?”

She does a quick mental debate on if she should give her real name. “ Hermione”. She figures who could track her down in a foreign land with just her first name.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman”. His hands have now made their way to her behind and he squeezes.

To her shock, she doesn’t feel rage at this strangers presumption. Actually, the thought of taking home a man she doesn’t know her a bit excited. “ What’s your name?”

“ Draco," he gives a brilliant smile. “ Let me take you to the VIP area for a drink. You seem like you might have some good stories”. She gives him an enthusiastic smile and nod.

He guides them through the crowd to a door that has a bulky man standing in front of it. He says something in Russian and the bulky man steps aside to allow them access to the stairs. The music of the dance floor still bleeds through, but it doesn’t demand ones attention like the music does on the dance floor. As they climb the stairs he asks her where she is from and what she is here for. They reach another door at the top by the time she is done with a short blurb about celebrating her educational success and breakup recovery.

“ Well, let’s make tonight one to call home about”, Draco says with a wink. He opens a leather door that has a 4x4 studded design. The room seems like something straight out of a movie. The far side is uninterrupted glass that overlooks the dance floor. The music from downstairs can't be heard and the music here seems to fade into the background in a pleasant way. The room is dimly light and the smoke creates a hazy dream-like effect. The smell of Mary Jane brings memories of Luna and a smile to Hermione’s face. There are couches spread throughout the room, with various characters occupying them. The men are in tailored suits that make them look powerful and sexy. The women here are barely covered and drop dead gorgeous. Gorgeous. It makes Hermione just slightly self-conscious but she is soon brought out of her reverie by a hand on her lower back guiding her to a couch.

Draco is surprisingly well read. Their conversation meanders from The Prince by Machiavelli to Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck to guilty pleasures like Twilight by Meyers. Each lull in conversation is punctuated with a refill of drinks or shots. She is amused by him. He somehow makes a Metamorphosis by Kafka funny. The same book that while reading made her nauseated with its body horror. She laughs so hard that she spills her drink a bit. At this point, drink number…. Number 7 maybe, spilling her drink is hilarious. Draco joins in with her but stops once another man sits on her other side. She gives this new stranger a beaming smile. The new stranger meets it with a beatific smile of his own.

“ I heard you talking about a few of my favorite books”, she turns a bit towards him once she notices how handsome he is. He is the burnet opposite to Draco’s platinum. His eyes are a deep blue to the almost silver blue of Draco’s.

“ Oh really?” She gives a smirk before continuing, “ was it Twilight?” The dark headed man laughs at her cheek.

“No, The Prince. Its inspiration and there are a few lines that can guide life decisions”

She squints a bit at him before offering her dissent, “ I don’t fully agree. I think sometimes the price of a goal may incur a cost too high to pay.”

“ A cost to who? "

" To either yourself or someone else."

"Sometimes sacrifices must be made to achieve your goals. The ends justify the means.”

She puts down her drink to fully engage in a debate. She talks with her hands the more invested she becomes in their conversation. Her explanation of integrity and hard work to achieve one's goals are similar to what she said earlier to Draco. This time it’s more nuanced for this new man. He seems to be able to charmingly poke holes in time-honored traits like honesty.

"Why should I freely offer honesty with no guarantee that it will be reciprocated? It is better to not be taken advantage of by a wolf in a nice suit."

She huffs a bit at his latest rebuttal, “ I think our disagreement boils down to the nature of man. People are inherently good. When there isn't some pressing reason, people will offer honesty.”

“ Every man is an enemy to every man”, he tugs at one of her curls as he quotes Leviathan. At this point, she realizes how close she has gotten to him. He has on arm slung on the back of the couch behind her and his legs crossed towards her.

She takes a deep breath, “ Well sir, I think we should agree to disagree”. She punctuates agree with a tap on his nose. She scoots back a bit before continuing, “ Just like Draco and I did”. Speaking of, Draco had been very quiet. She turns back to check he is still there.  
“ You have been so quiet, I thought you would have joined in supporting um …”

The dark-haired stranger fills the blank for her, “ Tomas but you can call me Tom.” She nods at Tom before looking back expectantly to Draco. Before he can answer Tom does, “ Draco wasn’t able to contribute to our conversation, he was looking for Bella. Hmmm, I think she has left. уйти́ не со́лоно хлеба́вши.” Draco nods to whatever Tom has just said and leaves. “ Sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

Hermione turns her attention back to Tom, with a sly smile she answers. “ Hermione.”

“The daughter of Helen of Troy. Quite befitting for an Elemental.”

“ Excuse me, but what is an Elemental.” In the back of her mind, she wonders if ‘Elemental’ is some odd Russian slang for crazy woman.

Tom looks at her as if she is asking what year it is. “ Someone who controls the elements.” She laughs out a 'what' before he continues. Gesturing at the spilled drink, ” I thought you had lost control of the water element.” She shakes her head no. He hums before continuing their conversation to more safer topics like food. She mentions that any bread is her favorite, to which he replies that she would probably love grenki. A fried bread soaked in eggs and milk.

As he is describing grenki, his hands began to wander on her body. His large hand covers her thigh as he describes how soft and supple the bread becomes when made just right. His other hand cups the back of her head as he details the sweetness of the breakfast, his thumbs caress her cheek. As he recounts the texture of the powdered sugar his thumb rubs her bottom lip. Out of drunken bravery, she licks his thumb and sucks a little before smirking at him.

“ Intelligent and sexy, a dangerous combo.”

“I am not too sure about the dangerous part. But maybe you should come back to my hotel to do some research about it.” The embarrassment of her audacity to brazenly invite him, probably won’t hit her until morning.

“ That is probably the most exciting thing I have heard all night.” He stands and offers his hand to her. ” Let's take my car, I’ll have someone drive us.”


	2. Pretty Little Birds

Chapter two: Pretty Little Birds

“Yes, Anais, I was thinking how I could betray you, but I can’t. I want you. I want to undress you, vulgarize you a bit—ah, I don’t know what I am saying. I am a little drunk because you are not here. I would like to clap my hands and, voila—Anais! I want to own you, use you. I want to fuck you, I want to teach you things.”  
Henry Miller to Anaïs Nin, A Literate Passion

Once the door of the car closes their hands are all over each other. He has got a hand in her hair, tugging from the base of her skull to expose her neck to him. She has one hand, that has ruched up his shirt, caressing his abs. He has his other hand under her dress, between her legs rubbing her to a glorious edge. When their lips meet for the umpteenth time, it’s like lightning. 

When they arrive at Gorod Hotel on Leningradskiy, the drivers give a polite loud cough to signal their arrival. Perhaps if Hermione was sober she would be embarrassed to be so lewd with a stranger in the car, but she is not. She is blissfully very much not sober, so she grabs Tom's hand from between her legs and makes a mad dash for the elevator. 

Once in the elevator, Tom has her up against a wall, hands grabbing whatever they can while he kisses her senseless. The doors open to her floor. Hermione leads them to her room and as soon as they are inside, Tom has her dress pooled at her feet. He doesn’t immediately go back to kissing her but instead takes a step back and gives her a lecherous look up and down. Emboldened by liquid courage and his obvious desire, she gives him a mini striptease while taking off her bra and panties. She ends her little dance with a hand on her nipple and the other slowing making it down to the apex of her thighs. 

He growls in his throat before picking her up and chunking her on the bed. 

He is completely clothed. She is completely nude. Something about the dynamic makes her wetter. Tom is cradling her face with one hand while he kisses and nips her lips. His other hand has two fingers circling her clit, making her see stars. He pushes two fingers into her, “ Gods, you are so tight… so incredibly wet for me”. She moans in response.

He is teasing her to the brink of an orgasm. But not quite giving her enough to fall over. His fingers slide in and out of her at a slow pace, while just barely curling to hit her G-spot. She grows frustrated and starts to tug and pull at his clothes until his jacket and shirt are gone. She leans forward to bite the meat of his shoulders while tugging at his belt and pants. He groans in shocked pleasure at the ferocious little lion under him. “ Tom, please.”

He smiles with false concern.“ Please, stop?” 

She growls out a no while she vainly tries to keep him against her and take his pants off at the same time.

“ Please kiss you?”

“ Yes”, he removes himself from her while only allowing their lips to touch. She growls out another no before she grabs his back down to her to grind her wetness against his clothed cock.

He strokes her hair before kissing his way down her neck to her nipples. He takes one in his mouth and sucks it a bit before giving her nipple a small bite. “ What can I do for you?”

“ Please fuck me, Tom.” He steps off the bed to shuck his pants and underwear off before crawling back over her. 

He gives her a half smile, “ I am much obliged.” There is no preamble when he pushes into her. 

The drag of his cock in and out of her sets her nerves on fire. He is thick and on the right side of long. He sets a deep and fast pace.

The sounds filling the hotel room are obscene.

He pulls out to flip her over then pulls her waist up so her ass is presenting. She feels so exposed and slutty with back curved to show her cunt. He slaps her ass before pushing back in her and pounding her into the bed. 

There is a cacophony of squelches and other wet noises. He deep melodious voice has become feral with the grunts, groans, and growls he lets out. Her moans range screams to growls depending on what Tom is biting/pulling/hitting. 

He flips her back over to watch her orgasm. Her screams start to climb in pitch as inches closer. " Cum for me. " She obeys and moves her fingers to vigorously rub her clit. Soon the pressure builds and she screaming out her orgasm. Tom follows soon after. 

He is still pushing into her after he spills his load. She starts to feel another pressure building against her G-spot. She feels stretched so wide all of a sudden. "Tom, what's going on?"

All he can respond with is incorherent groans and explecitives. 

She starts to chant his name as she feels so full. Another orgasm is starting to build, but she needs just a little more to fall over the edge. Tom reads her body and starts to nibble and bite at her neck and nipples. Her hand goes back to clit and she explodes. 

They are both sweaty. Winded. Blissed out. He is peppering kisses and praise against her cheeks and neck. She attempts to wiggle from under him when she feels a tug inside of her. She tries to move again and he digs his fingers into her hips to stop her. " Don't move."

She props herself up on her elbows and looks at him quizzically, " Why not? Why did you get bigger inside of me?"

" I knotted."

"Excuse me?"

"I said I knotted. I wasn't expecting it since you said you weren't an omega."

Her mind blanks for a second at all the questions that pop into her head at once. She decides to settle on anatomy, the most pressing question. Literally. " Did you say that you knotted me? As in the base of your cock has swelled and locked us together?"

He sighs like he is talking to a particularly dense child. "Yes, you answered your own question."

" How?"

He thrust deeper in her before responding," do you want a play by play?"

If it didn't feel so good to have him deeper she would have glared at his sarcasm. " I mean homo sapiens, humans, don't possess that type of reproductive function. I just finished veterinarian, I do not recall copulatory common in other animals. From what I do recall copulatory tie to be common in some Pinnipeds and Canidae. While the baculum is common in many mammals. Actually, some evolutionary biologist postulate that early humans did have baculum but as our mating habits changed humans evolved to not have one. Similar to the idea of vestigial structures like the appendix." When Hermione notices that she has started rambling, she blushes in embarrassment. "Sory, I didn't mean to lecture" 

" Don't apologize for your intelligence. Anyways you are correct, homo sapiens don't have a copulatory tie. We are not homo sapiens. You, in particular, are an Elemental." 

She scoffs at his insistence. “If you are so sure, let us test it.”

“Well then fine”

“Fine”

“Okay, then do the test.” 

Tom smirks her cheek. He turns them over so she is straddling him. He then leans off the bed to try to reach his pants. When he does locate them, he pulls out a lighter. He maneuvers them with his back against the headboard, careful not to pull at his knot. The lighter flips open with a click. It takes him a few times to itch the flint before it catches. “ Put your hands on both sides of the flame and then close your eyes.” Hermione quirks the side of her lips in a bit of disapproval but does acquiesce. Her hands are close enough to feel a bit of heat from the small flame. “ Think about maintaining the heat between your hands. Almost like the muscles in your hands are flexed to hold a ball.” She adjusts the shape of her hands and tenses the muscles in her hands. “Okay, now open your eyes.”

When she does, she finds his hands are in his lap with the lighter folded between them. The flame in question was hover between her hands still.

“What the fuck” He smirks at her expletives. “ TOM, what the fuck.” Despite the years and years of higher education she has, the only words she can find are “ WHAT THE FUCK” 

Tom meets her disbelief and surprise with a told you so and a shit-eating grin. She doesn’t quite pay attention to the smugness on Tom’s face but instead on the actual fire hazard between her hands. Panic starts to replace the disbelief.

“ Tom, how do I put this out!”

“ I’m not sure. I am not an Elemental.”

“This was your idea, what do you mean you don’t have a solution.” Her voice starts the climb towards the end of her sentence and the little flame follows. 

The smugness on Tom’s face starts to morph into concern.” I don’t know. Maybe clap your hands together to extinguish.” She follows his directions and instead of the flame disappearing she pulls her hands apart and has her hands covered in a fire like mittens. She starts to pull up a bit from his lap in panic before remembering with a touch of pain that they are tied together.

“TOMAS”, the fire surrounding her hands doesn’t hurt but the fire surrounding her hands are terrifying. She pancakes her hands back and forth as if seeing them from a different angle would make the fire disappear. 

“ Okay, Okay. Close your eyes. Calm your breath.” Her ragged panic breath starts to smooth out.” Think of coldness, of an icy void.” As her breath slows the flames die down and disappear. 

For a beat, they just stare at each other, each glad that they escaped their escapade without any burn marks. 

Tom smirks, “told you so”. Hermione takes a pillow and hits him and then tries to smother him. Muffled words about trying to kill him twice in a day come out. 

“ When does your ridiculous knot go down?” 

Tom sits up and tugs at one of her curls,” Hmm, I am not sure. Its been a while since I have been with an omega.” 

She heaves a sigh before responding, “ There you go again.” 

“ Do you like being wrong?” She pinches him for his perceived rudeness. 

 

*** 

She is pleasantly surprised to wake up in his arms. One night stands aren’t something she is familiar with. A part of her hopes this isn’t a one night stand but maybe a vacation fling. She slips from his arms to go to the bathroom. 

Normally before going to bed, she does a hair routine so that her curls are manageable in the morning. Last night was one of those nights where she just couldn’t. Not between the sex and fire. This morning the reflection staring back at her has a riotous mess of curls that are quite literally going in every direction and somehow are also squished on one side. She heaves a sign before deciding to brush her teeth and shower.

When she finally does get in the warm shower she just lets the water run over her. There is a slight pounding in her head from last night but not as bad she has experienced before. She heaves a sign before soaping up. As she is running conditioner through her curls, hands snake around her waist. He presses a kiss to her shoulder. “ Good morning kroshka.”

“Good Morning to you too.” She begins to wash the conditioner out of her hair. “ What does kroshka mean?” 

“ Little one.” He trades places with her to start washing. Hermione can’t help but to stay in the shower and admire the man in front of her. 

 

***

Tom orders everything for them in a Russian drawl, she can only pick out a word here or there. He turns back from the slightly flirtatious waitress to give her a gentle smile.” What are your plans for the day?” 

She launches into her jam-packed day. She had planned to visit the Red Square and pop in and out of the architectural beauties there. She also wanted to see the museums since there was so much to learn. He listens with rapt attention and Hermione feels validated with his interest. 

“ If you have any time left in your day, I would like to introduce you to another elemental. She can perhaps give you more insight.” She blushes in embarrassment at the near catastrophe they had last night. Their food comes out after she agrees to meet him. 

When they part she is content. A full belly and warmth from that this new man inspires. She finds that she is truly excited to meet him later and even more so to learn about her newfound powers. 

***

The Red Square is buzzing and full of life. The photos and videos her and Luna looked up don’t do the square justice. The place is massive and beautiful.

There are various little stalls selling food and trinkets. Hermione stops by a few to buy something for her loved ones back home. A shirt for dad, Mariska dolls for mom, and a necklace with tears of the Sun for Luna.

She wanders into an old medicine store and surveys medicine from a time long past. There are plant-based cures for demons and the common cold. She finds that she is glad science has moved passed such superstition. Knowing her friend, she purchases something she considers ridiculous for Luna.

The rest of her day is spent soaking up history in tours for the Kremlin and Saint Basil Cathedral.

***

Her phone buzzes while she is window shopping for a pastry. It’s a message from Tom saying that he has finished for the day and wants to meet her. She gets butterflies in her stomach as she responds with her location. It might be silly to get nervous and excited to see a man who’s already been inside of you but she can’t stop the smile that tugs at her lips. 

She decides on something called a torpedo dessert. It’s shaped a little bit like a torpedo and filled with pastries cream. She finds an empty bench to enjoy her pastries and wait for Tom to meet her. She is firing off messages to Luna and her mom when he sits down next to her. She greets him with a smile, “Hello”.

Tom meets her greeting with a smile of his own, “Privet.” He leans back before slinging an arm on the back of the bench. “ How was your day?” She finds his inquiry validating seeing that they had been texting all day. 

“Oh, it was amazing. I spent the day at Red Square. I visited the history museum and Saint Basil’s Cathedral.” Her eyes go wide with excitement as she recalls her experience in the cathedral and its beauty. Tom makes attentive listening noises as she prattles on about the facts she learned there. While she goes off on a tangent about Ivan the Terrible, the tsar that commissioned the building, Tom begins to tugs at her curls. She remains oblivious until she turns to him to emphasize a point. His hand is nearly cupping her face. Her breath catches at the intimacy. She loses herself in his midnight blue eyes. His thumb rubs her bottom lip before he closes the space between them to plant a chaise kiss on her lips. 

His hand drops to hers, “ It sounds like a lovely day.” She wordlessly agrees. “ If you are still interested, you can come to my home for an affinity test.”

“ That’s the test to see if I control any other elements, right”

“ Yes, one of my associates will explain more. She is also an Elemental.” 

***

“Okay darling, this will be a quick and easy test to see which elements you have more of an affinity for. Since you aren’t trained yet I will guide you. When I place my hand over yours it is only to focus your energy, I am not adding to it. We will know if you have control over a particular element if it reacts to you.” Gesturing to the 5 glass bowls of differing contents. “ Here we have the 6 elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Lightning, and Aether. Almost no one controls Aether. Most people control 1 or 2 of the other elements. ”

“ How many do you control?”

“ I control two. Fire and Air.”

“Why does almost no one control Aether?” 

“It is not in our material world in the same way Fire or Earth is. Aether is beyond the senses of smell, taste, sight, and touch; it is only accessible to the sense of hearing alone. “

“ How could it ever be controlled if it can only be heard?”

“ That's just it.” Narcissa looks smug at this, and after a beat continues on.” Aether is also known as the void, there is much we don’t know about this element. From what Tom described, we already know you are a fire Elemental but for the sake of tradition, we will test again. Give me your hand.” Hermione obliges, and Narcissa guides her hand over the fire. 

There is a loud crack and the glass bowl explodes sending glass shards everywhere. The fire starts to grow and consumes the table. Hermione feels herself being yanked back and into a firm chest. Narcissa is standing in front of the burning table doing a series of complicated hand gestures. The room is smokey when Narcissa finally gets the flames to go away. Squinting against the smoke Hermione asks what happened. 

“ Well darling, you are a powerful fire elemental.” She turns back to the smoldering table and murmurs “ an incredibly strong one”. Narcissa turns back to them, “ My Lord, I would like to go back home and get boxes containing the other elements. The boxes prevent the elements from reacting too strongly” 

Tom nods his agreement. Narcissa gathers what she can and leaves after bidding them both goodbye. 

Hermione turns to Tom and burst out laughing, “ I’ll be lucky to leave Russia with my eyebrows at this rate.” He laughs in agreement with her before pulling her to the couch to reenact their morning. 

*** 

When Narcissa comes back she has a man helping carry the materials. She introduces him as her son, Draco. The one and the same that introduced Hermione to Tom. He is a spitting image of his mom with the exception of his platinum blond hair. Hermione expects a warm welcome from him. Or at least acknowledgment that they had a wonderful time getting smashed together, but to her disappointing surprise, he gives her the cold shoulder.

He starts to unpack large wooden boxes off of a dolly and places them in a line. The boxes are about 2 ft by 2ft by 2 ft. They look to be made of stone and have golden characters on them that Hermione doesn't recognize.   
“They are from one of my ancestors, Iola Black. She was shunned from the family for choosing a beta over the alpha she was betrothed to. I was told she took it all in stride and traveled the world with her lover. One of the few times she came back home was to deliver these to her sister, whom she still had a loving relationship with." Noting the curious way Hermione traces her fingers over the symbols, Narcissa continues on. "These symbols are in Sanskrit, Iola acquired them while traveling in Northern India. This symbol is Agni it means fire. This one is Ap, it is the symbol for water." The box for Fire gives a little shake and wiggle as Narcissa runs her hands but not the water one. "This one is Vayu it is the symbol for wind, and this one is bhūmi or Earth. This one is for Vidyut for lightning." Like earlier on the box for the element that Narcissa claims to have an affinity for shakes and wiggles but not the Earth nor the Lightning box. " Lastly, this box is Akash its the symbol for Aether." She gives this box a gentle tap and the box remains as still. " Like I said earlier the box itself is inert but the element inside can still react to your energy.   
“Okay, daring let us start again. We already know you are a very strong Fire Elemental but for the sake of accuracy we will test again!”

Hermione once again lets Narcissa guide her hand the box label fire. The box begins to shake but fortunately this time there isn’t an explosion. Narcissa guides her hand over the water box, and it gives a shake as well. “ Well that's unusual, most people control elements that are complementary to each other. Hmmm, well let us continue.” Hermione's hand goes over the wind box and it dances like the previous two. This time Narcissa doesn’t comment just gives her a look like she is the most perplexing archeological discovery. Her hand glides over the earth box and it jiggles for her too. Behind her, she hears Draco let out a quiet wow. The lightning box gives a little shake and jiggles like the others. Lastly, Narcissa guides her hand over the aether box and it shakes more violently than the previous ones. 

The implication of the test leaves everyone in a state of shock. Narcissa is the first one to break it. “ My Lord it would be an honor to train your omega. I, of course with your consent, can monitor her training along with other elementals. I know that Severus is an aether elemental and will happily find other trained elementals. “ 

Tom simply nods his ascent. Hermione asks, “ I thought you said no one is an aether elemental.”

Narcissa, once again losing the air of formality, tsks at Hermione and says” I said almost no one. But Severus is the only Aether elemental I know.”

Hermione responds with a hum. 

Narcissa turns back to Tom and says, ” I will prepare lesson plans and contact Severus. When should we start her training?” 

“I will let you know. You have served well.”

She does a small bow. "Thank you, my knyaz.” Keenayz? Hermione isn’t sure she is familiar with the term, that being said the devote way this lady speaks to Tom raises a few red flags for her. 

Going back to her titering voice, “ Draco, be a dear and carry those out for me.” Her son moves without a fuss and starts to stack the boxes and place them back on the dolly. Narcissa and Draco leave with much less fuss than they entered. 

Hermione plops down on the couch and heaves a sigh. It’s been a long eventful day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am pretty proud of myself for how long this chapter is. I know other people are out here writing book-length chapter but still. Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


	3. Dark Red

“We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations.”  
Anais Nin

 

Tom sat down next to her they digested the news in comfortable silence. Once she had her thoughts organized she turned to Tom, “ What does kniaz mean?”

He responded without looking at her. “ Prince.” 

“Prince? I thought the royal line of the Romanovs were executed during the Bolshevik Revolution.”

“ You are correct, kroshka. But as I told you yesterday we are not Homo sapien sapien. Our world is different, even if there is occasional overlap.” 

Temporarily distracted from trying to figure out Tom’s identity, Hermione probed him on what they were. There was a fair amount of skepticism in her tone, ” The only groups of extant hominids are humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. In all my years of veterinarian school, there was never a mention of any other extant hominids.” 

“ I repeat myself, our worlds are different. Separate if you will there is a fair amount of information that is not shared between the worlds. We are humans but not Homo sapien sapiens. I am Homo sapiens penæ you are Homo sapien silvestris.” 

Remembering her childhood Latin lessons, she scoffs “ Oh that’s rich. I am a Wild wise man and you are a winged-wise man? Really?! How does that even make sense?” 

Tom facetiously parrots the textbook definition of subspecies to her. She shoves him and retorts that she already knows that. He takes the hand that has shoved him and interlaces his fingers in hers. “ I am Homo sapiens penæ because my species has wings. You are Homo sapien silvestris because without proper training and education your control of the elements makes you wild.” 

Her head cocks like a confused puppy. “ Where does the penæ part of Homo sapiens penæ come into play?” 

He smirks, “ Do you want to see?” She nods her agreement. 

He stands and takes a step back before taking off his shirt and chunking it at her face. He stretches a bit before flexing his shoulders forward and making the most magnificent wings Hermione has ever seen emerge from his back. Her jaw was on the floor. It was a curious sight. She could have sworn that last night there was no inkling on his back that could have housed wings so large. 

Reaching out towards him with amazement in her tone, “ May I?”

He gives her a genuine smile and nods his agreement. 

They feel as soft they look. Tom’s eyes shutter close and she takes note that stroking the wings might be pleasurable. Her hands wonder with her curiosity. She initially started just right of his shoulder, and now she is in the middle. Absentmindedly she compares his wings to other animals and decides they weren’t that different than other wings she studied.

He brings her out of her musings, “ We are still interfertile. Despite not having Alpha/Omega designation and the entire subspecies of H.s.sapiens having only beta designations they are also interfertile.” 

She wants to roll her eyes at his insistence that she might be an ‘Omega’, but the past few days have thoroughly rocked her world. Although the vast majority of what she has learned is still true, the most important part has changed. The most basic of identity changed. Many pacifists say we are all humans meaning we are all homo sapien sapiens. That all other hominids aren’t capable of what humans are. But these other groups Tom is telling her about, are capable. She doesn’t see any difference between herself and some random person on the street. Well, with the exception of her ability to control elements. Her mind whirls with questions. What’s the genetic difference? What’s the structural difference? Is there a difference in gestational time? How are the gametes different? She is out of her depth here. She bites her nails at not having the information. For that matter for not having access to anything that could answer her questions. There has got to be books somewhere. Why are these other species of human kept secret? She asks this last question out loud. 

“ It’s for the best. The secrecy protects us from prosecution.” The cold diatribe in his voice scares her. What possible repercussions could she face? She pushed that thought to the back of her mind before asking Tom if he had any books in English about the topics they discussed. 

He brightens and leads her to another room. He opened the door and for the second time today her mouth dropped. This wasn’t just any room. It was a library. Shelves and shelves filled with books. The shelves were on two floors with a lovely spiral staircase leading to the top floor. There was a large bay window that allowed for the moonlight to fill the room. There were a few comfy looking sofas spreads throughout the library along with a few small tables. His apartment just became more amazing. 

Tom watched her with no small amount of amusement. She wandered up and down the shelves. Upstairs and downstairs. Occasionally stopping by him to drop off a few books. By the time she was done, the table that she had chosen was filled with at least two dozen books. 

She is skimming through the books. Although Hermione went to vet school, there is quite a lot she already knows about the human reproductive system. Or perhaps she should say the Homo sapiens sapiens reproductive system. That being said, she is skimming through what she is already familiar with to get to the reproductive system she isn’t quite familiar with.

 

However, species vary significantly in the detailed functioning. One difference is that H.s. silveste and H.s. paene have estrous cycles resorb the endometrium.

 

While she is deep in a book, he scots his chair closer to her. She doesn’t realize his proximity until he has snaked an arm around her waist. They continue to silently read for a while before she is distracted by the circle he has been rubbing on her hip. 

One difference is that H.s. silveste and H.s. paene have estrous cycles resorb the endometrium if conception does not occur during that cycle. 

 

Her body starts to heat up. She mentally shakes herself to refocus.

H.s. sapiens have menstrual cycles shed the endometrium through menstruation instead. Another difference is sexual activity. In species with estrous cycles,...

 

He sneaks his hand under her shirt to rub his torturous circles,“ Tom, you are distracting me!”

“ Lo siento”, he unapologetically murmurs.  
“ Wait, that was Spanish. How many languages do you know?” She knew it was more than Russian and English since she saw book titles in other languages but she was curious about the exact number. 

“Seven.” Surprisingly he doesn’t say it with as much arrogance and elitism as she would expect. She hums in interest before turning back to her book. 

In species with estrous cycles, females are generally only sexually active during the estrus (oestrus) phase of their cycle (see chapter 5.2 for the estrous cycle phases). 

 

He starts to nibble and kiss her neck and ears. She clutches the book and tries to ignore him. 

In species with estrous cycles, females are generally only sexually active during the estrus (oestrus) phase of their cycle (see chapter 5.2 for the estrous cycle phases).

 

His hand grows bold and wander under her shirt and squeeze on one of her breasts. She gasps then shoves his hand from under her shirt and continues reading. 

In species with estrous cycles, females are generally only sexually active during the estrus (oestrus) phase of their cycle (see chapter 5.2 for the estrous cycle phases).

"You aren't helping at all. If all you want to do is distract then you should go to bed." She says with a bossy air. 

" What a great idea!" He plucks the book out of her hand before grabbing her bridal style and carrying her out of the library.

"Tom, I meant for you to leave me alone. How am I supposed to learn if I can’t read!"

He smirks, “ The best way to learn is through practice.” 

She rolls her eyes. “That’s not what I meant.” Her irritation leads to an overemphasis on the ‘t’. He doesn't respond. “ I would much rather read right now!” 

He sighs, “ I can always mail you whatever books you like.”

She brightens, “Really! That would be lovely.” Then scowls at her current predicament. " Tom! Put me down." He ignores her again. “ Tom, please.”

"You beg so prettily." He purrs at her." I just want to hear more pretty noises leave your mouth." He tosses her unceremoniously onto the bed and then crawls over her.

He peppers kisses on her neck. Although Tom may have made it hard to read, her mind was still swirling with questions. She closes her eyes and arches into a particularly delicious bite on her neck. “ Why do you keep saying I am an Omega? I have never experienced an estrous cycle and I menstruate?” 

He smirks at her, “would you like to do another test?” 

“Hmm, not if it involves setting me on fire again.”

His thumb strokes her face before he responds, “No, all it involves is a bite.” Hermione scrunches her eyebrows in confusion, prompting Tom to continue. “ If you are an omega, then we will have a temporary bond after I bite you.” She hums then puts her hand to his mouth. He laughs, “ No, the bite is done differently.”

He laces his fingers in her hair and locks her in a searing kiss. He has one hand under her shirt and squeezes her breast. She takes his cue and her hands start to wonder. He sits back on his knees and pulls her into his lap. Her shirt goes flying, followed by his, next is her bra. He pulls her closer to him so he can reach her breast with his mouth. He swirls a nipple before giving it a small bite. Her pants of pleasure became a deep moan. 

She arches her back so she can grind up on his hardness. She pushes him off of her so she can yank his shirt up off his head. Then reaches for his pants and squeezes them under his underwear to wrap her hand around his cock. He groans in appreciation. She starts to thumb the head of his cock before he pushes more off of her to completely take his pants off. She smiles and takes hers off before launching herself at him to straddle his lap. 

Tom has his hand around her neck and is kissing her like he means to mark her. Hermione has her fingers clawed to hold on to him as he gives one sharp thrust to enter her. 

There is a cacophony of moans and groans. He has set a furious pace and she meets with every sink of her hips. Tom’s hand has left her neck and repeatedly slaps her ass hard enough to bruise. His other hand has stayed in her hair and he yanks it when he wants to move from her lips to her neck. 

She starts to feel the blissful pressure of an orgasm building in her lower belly. Tom’s hand wonders from her hair to her nipples and tweaks them. She feels tingles and shivers traveling up and down her back. He grabs her ass and somehow manages to pound harder and faster into her, the pleasure crest and she is screaming out an orgasm. 

He slows down as she rides out her orgasm. “ You are so beautiful”, he whispers before giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead. She smiles and they gently kiss. His orgasm follows after a few minutes of gentle thrusts and kissing. He presses his forehead into her shoulder and holds her tight as he fills her and his knot begins to swell. 

Her body tensed with another orgasm building when she felt his teeth on the meat of her shoulders. When his teeth punctured her skin, stars burst behind her eyelids and then blackness swallowed her. 

When he finally caught his breath he leaned back to look at her. “ Hermione?” He stroked her face a few times and she didn’t respond with more than a murmur. He idly traces her face, he knew that bites could be intense for omegas but he didn’t realize how intense it could be. He smirks at the prospect of teasing her in the morning. 

 

***

Hermione comes to the startling realization that she is completely out of her element. As a modern renaissance woman of science, she politely ignored all of Luna ramblings about the supernatural. As a modern renaissance woman of science, she learned next to nothing about flings and romance ( What she had with Viktor wasn’t nearly as intense as this new budding relationship). As a modern renaissance woman of science, she did the only thing she knew how to do: gather evidence and research, form a hypothesis, and test it to either confirm it or refute it. And that is how she found herself cross-legged on the bed of her hotel room on a conference video chat with Luna, Lavender, Pavarti, and herself. 

She initially called Luna since Luna had much more of a knowledge base for the unexplained. Although Tom mentioned there was some prejudice against people like her or him, she trusted Luna to not treat her differently. She was right. 

 

Luna was a mystic in every sense of the word. She studied unknown and the obscure much to Hermione’s chagrin. Luna was over the moon once Hermione confessed to her newfound abilities. Luna wasn’t completely familiar with what Hermione was referring to but she had stumbled upon similar recordings before and knew where to start. Hermione was glad that when she got home she would have access to more knowledge. 

Then the topic of Tom came up. 

Luna was just glad that Hermione was having a good time. The whole alpha/omega thing came up too, which Luna found romantic. Romantic enough to call Lavender which also meant Parvati.

That found Hermione in a complete recount of every detail of her encounters with Tom. Sans new powers and explicit details. The lack of the latter was a great disappointment to Lavender and Parvati. 

Those two were destruction in heels. They were dating each other but had a penchant for nice things and trouble. When they went out, they never paid for their drinks. When they shopped they never purchased their own jewels and the like. They could wind any man around their pinky finger. It was an enviable skill. One Hermione for the life of her would never master, not that it was on her list of priorities. That being said, she really liked Tom and didn’t know what she should do next. Was it just a fling or did she want more? 

“ If you really like him, then you should act like you don’t like him.” Lavender prattled off as she braided Parvati's hair. It looked delicate and complicated. 

Hermione rolled her eyes before flopping down next to her tablet.” That doesn’t even make sense.” 

Luna didn’t respond since she was still engrossed in whatever crystal/incense/ ritual that she started shortly after Hermione confessed her powers.

Parvati chimed in, “ Yea you are right. It doesn’t make sense, but men are so stupid that you have to basically talk to them in another language for them to understand. He needs to know you are open to his advances but also not interested.” 

“ But I have already slept with him twice. I am very obviously interested. I asked him to visit me back home.” Her disclosure was met with a chorus of “Oh no” “oh god” from the couple. Luna only looked up to give a dreamy smile, obviously still finding the whole thing to be romantic. 

Parvati squinted her eyes, “ Have we not taught you anything?”

Lavender scrubbed her face, “ It’s fine we can still salvage this. Okay, ‘Plan G’: Know how to reach him deeply, to see the depths of who he is. Then put energy into the right places, not on stressing and worrying about the relationship.”

Hermione nodded along, that was good advice. She could follow that. Get to know him, his goals and fears. Then put effort into what matters. Once that advice hit home the conversation meandered to what Hermione had seen and the latest trouble Lavender and Parvati caused. Hermione was in a good mood when the call was disconnected. 

*** 

Hermione finds herself a bit disappointed by Arabt street.

She was expecting a wealth of history and architecture seeing that it is one of the oldest streets in Russia. Unfortunately, the street has turned into more of a tourist trap. That being said, the street isn’t some Russian minstrel. It has maintained its beautiful historic past, the streets are cobbled and the buildings are elegant. 

Despite the lack of history at least she can grab a gift for Lavender and Parvati. Their advice was useful, and she might have felt a little bit bad if she hadn’t gotten them anything. Given Lavender’s overall salacious demeanor, Hermione decides to get her a novelty joke. It’s a penile Mariska doll, aka a penis inside of a penis inside of a penis. She might have laughed out loud when she figured out what it was. Although Parvati just as troublesome as Lavender, she didn’t try to goad her into as many explicit details as Lavender so she decided on a delicate hand-painted comb.

Hermione ends her visit to Abrat street with a stop at a small cafe to grab a bite to eat and watch some street performers. As she eats Borscht dumplings she ponders her luck. She is immensely grateful that she didn’t let her wariness of current events stop her trip. She has been more focused on where electrons go in the Krebs cycle, but she was still aware that Russia’s relationship with Western nations was tenuous at best. She was also initially worried about some of the human rights issues here. But Luna persuaded her, and she hasn’t had a reason to regret her visit. So far people have been welcoming, no one gets huffy at her nationality or accent. 

Her next stop is the Tretyakov gallery. Although her first love is science, the arts hold a special place in her heart. As a child, she went through a phase of being obsessed with the art of the ancient Greeks and Romans. What drew her in was their use of mathematics to create magnificent art. It was an amazing read to see how Polykleitos wrote his Canon, prescribing proportions based on the ratio 1:√2 for the ideal male nude. Or to see the golden ratio in action. Thinking about it made Hermione’s heart flutter. The museum itself is historical and beautifully built. It's a pale coral color with details and trimmings at the top. There is a white band with white lettering and Hermione wishes for a moment she could read Russian. 

 

As she lost herself in the museum she silently thanked Luna again for pushing her to take this vacation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see! Hello, mon amours! I could give yall a bunch of reasons for my absence but I think everyone would just appreciate more chapters. ngl, I let myself get a bit bogged down with the details of the science of A/O, I hoped yall liked the science stuff. 
> 
> Oh and I changed the Title from Cherry Bomb to Labyrinth and Chapter 1 to Looks
> 
> Please review and let me know your thoughts. Yalls comments are everything <3

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope yall like the rewrite. I was at a place in wine, sleep eyes, & turbulence where I felt like I didn't have enough build up for the next plot point so I want to build a bit more. I really love comments. They give me so much life. Thanks for reading!


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